Warped, speedbonding

Estrella’s expression while sleeping looked much less threatening than her face normally did. She was peaceful on top of her jungle ship, resting her head on a lush surface of white feathers. A black, furred creature was held protectively under her arm, though he was a bit too big to fit into a complete hold. Shinies scattered the wooden surface, some awake and some asleep. There were many more below deck and in the connected barn.

There were often nights that the pirate and her crew felt comfortable enough to doze on the deck, but there were some that were dangerous and called for the entire large group to retreat indoors. Things happened in Whazzit; random and sometimes terrible things. It was important to keep an attentive attitude, for there were often signs when something significant was occurring.

On this night, there were no signs. There was no commotion. There was no light or sound or peculiar creatures. It was only by chance that Estrella woke up and happened to look off into the dark sky before heading to bed. Her eye narrowed as she spotted a blob in the distance that looked like it didn’t quite fit in with the normal scenery of the land. There were thin, green lines that looked like rectangular veins along a black hole (like THIS). She could barely make it out and finally decided it was just an odd cloud of sorts. She rubbed the blurry sleepiness from her eye, giving the sight one last glance before rising to her feet and leading her tired shinies below deck. Estrella would not be involved in this unique happening tonight. She would stay safely in her ship. The other Whazzitians, however, might not be able to avoid it. After all, it wasn’t that late yet and many were probably still out and about.

---

There were four warp portals scattered throughout the sky over Whazzit. They were swirling, flicking, and moving, yet somehow they remained unassuming with the way they blended into the darkness. It would be lucky if any humanoid noticed one.

For those who were in the portals’ vicinity, nothing would happen. If one were to walk directly under one of them, however, they would be taken from this world. Even if they continued moving, they would be sucked in. Not in a powerful or dramatic way. In fact, anyone nearby might not even notice someone disappear. They would feel a heavy emptiness to their body—a feeling that weighed them down, made them feel that they were about to melt into nothing. It would start with the fingers and toes. Whatever matter their appendages were made of would chip away into tiny squares of shadow that delicately rose up into the center of the portal. It would happen within seconds, but they would have the opportunity to watch it if only they looked down at themselves.

Once it reached their eyes, only blackness would be seen for a couple moments. Blankness; nothingness. Then, they would be reformed from the bottom up. The thousands of tiny black squares would gather on the other side of the portal and piece the individual back together in the exact state they had been in. Everything around them, however, would be different—depending on which portal had claimed them.

Tonight, two worlds paralleled. A precise motion of fate had lined up two distant places and the power of the Shadow Realm had dug openings, portals, into Whazzit.

There was a sense of peace and darkness on the other side. The Shadow Realm existed in a permanent state of twilight. Every object, person, any piece of matter had muted colors. It was the color scheme of shadow—usually black or dark grey, some lighter greys, and any color that crossed over was darkened. The sky was a peculiar, but beautiful orange. Light, yet still somehow muted. Small squares of shadow lifted from objects, dancing about in the air as they continued being elevated. It looked something like THIS, except each portal led to a different area of the world of twilight. And each area contained something dark. A being that clearly fit into this Shadow Realm, but might quickly inspire fear if it ventured into Whazzit. How these Shadow Beings (IMAGE) would react to humanoids being placed into their world was questionable.

[In my mind… - Waking Up | 724 words]

information
-- You get to choose which of the four portals your character enters. Read about each of them below and choose wisely; I will not be asking for any preferences. Multiple people can enter one portal.
-- Shinies are allowed.
-- I will be posting every other day, but I will not wait for people, so try to post promptly.
-- All of this is inspired by The Legend of Zelda. The game series is where all the images provided are taken from, but you don’t need to know a thing about it. I just thought it was nice to provide pictures of things your character is seeing.
-- The shinies won’t be revealed until after they bond.
-- For reference, the Shadow Beings are just a bit bigger than an average humanoid.

bonds
Celeste Cat Amethyst Nabooru -- Ria
Celeste Cat Diamond Makar -- Alan
Hippogryph Dove Ruto -- Lucas
Hippogryph Macaw Yorick -- Geoffrey

1 Amethyst Celeste Cat
1 Diamond Celeste Cat
1 Dove Hippogryph
1 Macaw Hippogryph

portal one: desert fortress
image (except covered in twilight)
Sand rests under your feet. Cliff walls shoot up on both sides of you, their tops jagged and dangerous against the orange sky. Before you towers a thick fortress of rectangular buildings and rooms. The windows and doorways are open, pitch black even against the shadowy bricks. Vines climb up the sides of some walls and there is something intimidating about the structure.

There is something black that flits across one of the levels, sinking through a doorway. The Thief Turned Monster Shadow Being has yet to reveal itself to you, but the way it moved did not suggest fear. It looked sneaky and quick; it saw you before you saw it and it probably isn’t hiding. I would watch your back, wherever you go.

The Feminine Desert Fighter Amethyst Celeste Cat
Inspired By: Nabooru from The Legend of Zelda
Font: #e06e75

Despite her size, her rank, and her gender, this Celeste Cat is a skilled fighter, thief, and leader. She is smooth in her movements, sneaky with her plans, and aggressive in battle. She is blunt and pushy, getting to the bottom of things efficiently and expressing herself as straightforward as possible. She encourages others to be confident and bold, but will not tolerate foolishness or mistakes. Because she is skilled at most things she does, she holds the same high standards for those around her. She is a leader in the sense that she will protect and guide others, pushing for success and fulfillment for everyone. She loves shiny things, but she has tact when going about taking them. It is doubtful that you will ever catch her in the act. And, if you do, she will be too quick or too aggressive to stop.

Her body is small, but fit. Consistent exercise and battle practice have packed her form with muscle. Her coat is short and stiff, easily enduring heat with reflective, light silver fur. There are markings of dark silver and white on her, in shapes that look almost like jewelry. There are several rings around her legs and tail, forming patterns that look like beads or dangling pieces. Two short streaks run down from the base of her ears and beautiful, textured bands run in circles over her neck. Her eyes are an intense gold, emphasizing the dark, rich purple gem on her forehead.

She often refers to her old life, usually in subtle ways because she is being nostalgic, not because she wishes to speak of it. She speaks of a society filled totally with women, where females performed every role and thrived in a powerful community with skilled fighters, hunters, and builders. She carries the essence of that power and perseverance with her and tends to shun most males, unless they pass her incredibly high standards of skill, respect, and wisdom.

portal two: forest haven
image (except covered in twilight)
You are in a giant, hollow tree. The walls around you are the aged wood of a tree trunk and if you look up, you will see the orange, black-specked sky outside. The swishing of an ocean can be heard, presumably around the outside of the tree. Still, smaller trees, vines, and a variety of plants grow within the natural structure. There is something cozy about this place. Its little ponds of water and stretches of lush grass, although colorless among the twilight, are charming and homey.

There is something hiding on the other side of one of the trees. The Soul In A Wrong Body Shadow Being thinks it can’t be seen, but a couple appendages from its head are sticking out. By the way they aren’t moving at all, it can be assumed that whatever it is, it’s trying to hide from its unknown guest(s).

The Brave and Innocent Treedweller Diamond Celeste Cat
Inspired By: Makar from The Legend of Zelda
Font: #336810

There will always be something childlike and innocent about this Celeste Cat. He is pure of heart and pure of intention, appreciating the smallest things in life but not being afraid to face the bigger things. He recognizes that he can be stronger than what his small body seems capable of. He can be brave for others and he can stand up for those who are lost or afraid. He is the most peaceful, quiet leader you might ever meet, but he is certainly capable of leadership. He has a knack for sharing optimism and encouragement. It just sometimes takes him a little bit of time to bring himself out of his shy shell. He becomes more confident and bold with each day, always absorbing information and finding something new to feel strong for. He has a charming sense of humor, clever and funny at the darkest moments. He loves music and he loves being around trees; you can often find him high up in the branches, enjoying the breeze.

He has a small, compact body that looks a bit weak, but can roll and bounce around very easily. He has a great sense of balance, even despite his rather short tail and rounded form. His coat color is a brown-tinged silver, like the wood on a nearly-monochrome tree. If one looks closely, light silver markings cover his soft coat in the pattern of what seems to be tree bark. The markings are very light and thin, dominated by his main coat color. His eyes are a pleasant forest green and he has a light silver marking over most of his face, like a mask.

He rarely refers to his old life, but tends to seek out environments that mirror it. He likes being around those he trusts and loves in an environment that he feels safe in. He welcomes in strangers, but is always cautious about them at first. Exploring is something he leaves up to others; he likes the space that he knows well, creating a comfortable and stable community for those that need him.

portal three: water domain
image (except covered in twilight)
Orange-tinted water flows all around you. There is a waterfall against one of the rock walls, while a large lake stretches out through most of the room. A few smaller streams sprinkle down from holes high up on the walls. You are standing on a flat side-area of rock. Across the way is another small standing area next to and behind the waterfall. There are ledges nearby you, big enough to climb. This is a cave and the orange sky can’t be seen, but its faint light reaches in from the large, cavernous exit on one side of the lake.

The water is making a fair amount of noise, but you suddenly hear a plop! in the water. If you look around, you’ll see ripples near the other side of the lake as if something has just entered the water from the opposite area to you. The liquid is too dark to be seen into, but The Cursed Princess Shadow Being is certainly somewhere around here and its curious nature is drawing it closer.

Her Liquid Majesty Dove Hippogryph
Inspired By: Princess Ruto from The Legend of Zelda

Regality and femininity constantly envelope this Dove Hippogryph. She is graceful and poised, even when she’s whining or pissed off. She has an attitude, despite containing the protective loveliness of her rank. She is not afraid to complain when she doesn’t get her way or demand more attention. It’s really the menial things that she enjoys receiving, because when it comes to the big picture, she does what is best for the majority. She is loyal and persistent, never abandoning those she has promised herself to and not afraid to sacrifice herself for others. She is capable of being serious and responsible, but she enjoys the carefree moments where she is able to be spoiled and prissy. She is confident, and can be a little cocky sometimes, but she doesn’t see herself as above anyone else. Her sass often makes her seem stuck up, but she has a huge heart as well as a romantic, shy feminine side.

Her body is pristine white, covered in luxurious feathers and soft fur. Her tail is white, streaked with gentle gray. There is also a pretty, thin ring around her head in the same grey color, resembling a crown. Her eyes are a rich blue color and they seem to churn like water. She has a thin, elegant body and, despite her physical stature, she isn’t afraid to get rough if a circumstance calls for it. She’ll push her gentle figure to its limits.

She often flaunts the fact that she was a Princess in another land, even if she is unable to verbalize it. Whether or not others would believe her, she knows the truth and will never forget her old life. She moves in the world to make those she lost proud and she refuses to ever let so many loved ones go again. She also has an affinity towards water and will swim often, despite her physical form. If ever she could acquire fins, she’d be the happiest girl in the world.

portal four: lost woods
image (except covered in twilight)
Thick, spiky trees surround you on all sides. They are so packed together that the only way out of the clearing you are in is through wooden tunnels carved out of huge tree trunks. The orange sky leaks through the trees, but its faint light is mostly shut out. Logs, stumps, plants, and grass are all around, yet this area has a foreboding feel to it. It’s as if you feel hopelessly lost without ever having tried to get out.

The Shadow Being in this area shows itself to you quickly. The Despairing Tormentor Shadow Being climbs up over a tree stump, viciously wiggling its head-appendages at you. It stands on all fours, tall and alert, before scurrying around the clearing in a wide circle. Its movement suggests that it is taunting its guest(s), indirectly aggressive for now, but it seems to be closing in.

Revenge of the Abandoned Macaw Hippogryph
Inspired By: Skull Kid from The Legend of Zelda

Forever scarred by his past, this Macaw Hippogryph will never let go of his resentment towards the world. He is convinced that it is an unloyal, disgusting place and he can find nothing else worthwhile to do besides wreak havoc on it. He is vicious, morbid, and a bit crazed. He was once like the others of his rank—cheerful and fun, but something has snapped him onto the dark, jealous side of things. He is mischievous and troublesome, and it’s lucky he can’t speak because he would probably be spewing insane, ranting sentences at everyone constantly. He has trouble fitting in because of his attitude, but when he finds somebody that he secretly likes, he will force them to stay by his side and he will obsess over them not leaving him. He has a lot of emotion behind his explosive exterior, but it can generally only be speculated about.

His feathers are orange and his fur is dark yellow. His tail matches his rump, but the yellow is streaked with red. The only markings on his body are vertical lines of black along his legs. It looks as if his hooves were covered in black ink and the liquid managed to drip upwards, stopping on the upper parts of his legs. His eyes are red and can be rather freaky when he is wearing a crazed expression.

He clings to the past like a leech, unable to speak about it, but always thinking about it. He is convinced that what happened in his old life will happen again somebody, so he never trusts anyone and generally only reacts with viciousness that he thinks will protect himself. He seems magnetized to either the weak that he can trample on, or the aggressive that aren’t afraid to hurt him. Sadistic might be a word to describe him.

What is it?

"I don't know." The words were curt and quick, clearly a rhythem of sounds the cyborg had been forced to utter many a time before to the point that they had become a rote answer.

The Niatu Serpen curled around Geoffrey's back, head resting on clawed feet clinging over one shoulder, flicked his tongue out and pointed one of those claws about the portal while the other foot tugged on the collar of his lab coat, directing him like a dog or pony. Go see, show us what it is, maybe it spits acid or leads to an airless vacuum. ... So far, Geoffrey's Serpen bonds were good at seeming almost innocent, friendly, and optimistic, until out of nowhere one of their classic Serpeny statements of doom struck without warning.

And yet, the Niatu always seem to know how to make Geoffrey do what he wanted: provoke his curiosity. The clinginess didn't hurt either. Which would you rather have wrapped around your chest, after all, an angry Serpen or a peaceful one?

Grumbling in spite of the fact he was already walking towards the strange black portal, Geoffrey shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. His head was craned back, staring at it with obvious curiosity of his own anyway. There was no way this could end wellthatfeltweird.

It's dark! No light escapes! We will be trapped forever! Geoffrey loudly shushed Fexhalten while trying to ignore the disorienting feel being put back together on the other side of another realm. It wasn't between — but what was it?

At least when he was reconstituted, there was light again. Strictly, oddly colored, and it didn't look like the world had been reconstituted quite right, but he take what he could get when it came to crossing strange dimensions. It was good he had Fexhalten with him, even if he hadn't been prepared with a weapon. Never go anywhere alone was the first and foremost rule anymore when he left his house.

Now what, though? He saw patches of the on skies through thick treetops, and all around all other kinds of plants and general signs of a forest. It didn't look like any forced had ever seen around the jungle, however. And he had definitely never seen that around the jungles of Planet.

Geoffrey and Fexhalten tilted their heads slightly to one side as one at the Despairing Tormentor suddenly scurried around the lost woods. Geoffrey tensed. What does it want? hissed the Serpen, intrigued by the shadow being's eerie nature. Of course a Serpen would be.

ooc| CZXGJKLGHRJL. Exciiiiiite x3

T'Rae would never use the phrase 'under foot' quite so liberally again. She was pretty sure the Demonhound couldn't be any more underfoot if he tried. And that was the thing, he wasn't even trying, it was like he was just magnetically attached to her feet. Whatever the case was he was making it particularly difficult to get back home without tripping over him and hurting herself, or stepping on him and hurting him. She'd bloody well like to know what he was afraid of that had him so stuck to her, but some days she was almost convinced that the Blue was mu-

Oh. Beaming up now. Not so much as a how do you.

That was the first thought, anyway. Followed quite promptly by a sarcastic "Somebody redecorated." as she came down on the other side, the bits of black and strange orange twilight was definitely not her ship. Her second thought was to locate Cethern again, not that she had to look far. The Demonhound was leaning against her leg with his teeth barred and his hackles standing on end. The Vulcan followed his gaze up, he was afraid of everything sure but he never reacted like that before.

What she was looking at? She didn't have a clue. Sand and walls and something in the shadows that she would admit put her on edge. If Cethern didn't trust it that seemed like reason enough to be on edge to her. Slowly drawing her phaser out of her bag and creeping forward, with the Demonhound only a step or two behind her. "Hello?" She called into the Desert Fortress. Much as she would love to take the time to enjoy being back in a desert for once, even if it wasn't home, she was a bit more concerned with things that moved and trying to keep a clear shot between her and it.

Ria...

Yorlii. I just got to sleep.

I found something.

Sigh.

Ria removed the pillow from her head, her futile shield against an awakening mindvoice, and opened her eyes reluctantly. For any other shiny, especially shinies like Jina and Kalsi who were constantly finding things at obscene hours of the night, she would have responded incoherently, slept until morning, and then cautiously minded her footsteps to avoid any dug-up tulips or furry dead vermin that had been found and dropped on her carpet as a gift. But for her dutiful Kal'daka? She was going to wake up, grumble and moan as she foraged for decent clothes to wear, and then haul herself outside without stopping for coffee because something was wrong. Yorlii never bothered her for trivial things, so Ria wasted no time in swinging up onto her back and winding her fingers into the Rahwenress' thick fur.

What did you find? Ria asked as the wind whipping by her face stung her still-bleary eyes. I don't know, Yorlii answered, and Ria frowned. She was practically scowling by the time the Kal'daka slowed to a halt not-quite-beneath the strange angular portal. Ria dismounted in a heavy swirl of skirts and took one step closer. And then another. Nothing has entered nor exited the portal, that I've seen, she reported, giving the portal a narrow berth as she circled around to the other side. "What do you want me to do about it, Yorlii...?" Ria asked with a wary sigh, but she was curious enough to step directly under it and stare into the vast hole and its illuminated tendrils. She wasn't a scientist or much of an adventurer, there simply wasn't anything that she could do he--

NAU! Yorlii snarled as her Phorrah began to disappear limb by limb and piece by piece, gone before the Kal'daka could leap to her aid and begin her own disintegration.

She was there to catch Ria before she collapsed, at least. Despite being stylishly dressed for the desert--in a choli top cropped at her rib cage and skirts in crimson and faded gold--Ria was none too pleased to be standing (leaning, actually) in front of a solemn stone fortress underneath an unnatural twilight. Unsteadily she pushed herself up from her Kal'daka's strong shoulder and spotted a Vulcan and a Demonhound. "T'Rae? Did you get beamed here too?" Well...there went her hopes that this was all just a dream. She couldn't imagine why she'd be dreaming about a woman she hardly knew... Stay sharp, Yorlii urged, breaking Ria from her thoughts. We're not alone. Show yourself! the Kal'daka ordered of the lurking shadow, nudging Ria forwards to keep her behind T'Rae's phaser and Demonhound and ahead of Yorlii's own swift jaws.

(No way am I missing this!)

T'Rae kept her eyes locked on the strange being, slowly inching around and forward to try and get a better look at it. She would almost say it looked like a Shadowguard, except for being much larger and somewhat less canine shaped. At least it did not seem to be particularly hostile, but as T'Rae had learned several times in being shuffled around dimensions, just because it didn't look hostile didn't mean that it wasn't. She'd rather not take risks.

It was a good thing she'd moved to, since a second or two later the spot she had just been occupying was filed with Ria and her Zanjur companion. T'Rae offered a slight glance in their direction, a nod to acknowledge them, though she said nothing. Ria spoke up first, and beside her the Blue Demonhound nearly jumped out of his skin, scrambling around the other side of the Vulcan to peak around her legs at the new woman and Ikal'daka that had appeared, confusion evident in his thick whine as he jerked his head between the newcomers and the moving shadow beyond them.

T'Rae would have liked to roll her eyes at him, but she was a little busy making sure the shadow thing didn't leave her sight. "Easy Cethern." She murmured, one hand coming away from the phaser to rub his ears for a second. The Zanjur on the other hand wasn't particularly helping, not that Cethern was per se, but at least he was keeping it to himself. "Shhh," T'Rae hissed quietly in the other pairs direction, "It has shown no signs of aggression. let's not provoke it." Says the woman holding a charged energy weapon, but self-defense wasn't quite the same as outright poking the beast.

"Who are you?" T'Rae questioned, better to lure it out with questions than threats, "Where is this?" Once she figured that much out, then perhaps she could go about figuring out how to get back to Planet. Baby steps.

Alan was hurrying home as fast as he possibly could. Which, to the detective, wasn’t nearly fast enough. It was almost dark, the last rays of sunlight sinking under the horizon, bathing everything in a warm glow. He sped down the path home, a book in one hand and a canvas bag of fresh groceries under the other arm.

It had been his decision to go to the village alone earlier that day. The detective had been feeling a little cramped; he needed some breathing room, a little time to get his head back in the right place. Then he had stopped by a small, local bookstore on his way back from the market, and had somehow managed to lose a couple of hours in there.

So now he was racing the sunset, a slight tingle of panic pricking up his spine. Alan was afraid of the dark, and knowing what real, flesh and blood creatures lurked in the jungle did absolutely nothing to help that phobia. Thankfully, certain friends never stray far from you, it seems. Actually, certain friends can’t stray far from you. Alan slowed to a halt as the Shadowguard burst up from the shadows alongside him. The detective leveled an accusing finger at the Silver as he took a step back and caught his breath. “Have you been following me? I told Kentaroth n-“

Whoa, that’s not supposed to feel like that D8

Alan hardly had time to protest as his vision went dark, sending a fresh wave of panic through him. When it came back, the detective made a small noise of distress at being sucked up from his world. It was disorienting, that was for sure.

Not as disorienting as taking stock of your new surroundings. The detective found himself in what appeared to be a massive tree, hollowed but alive, with smaller life growing within, trees and vines and grass. When he closed his eyes and listened closely, he could hear the soft rushing of waves from outside, seeming to come from all sides. An island?

“What the…?” Alan blinked to clear his eyes, but everything remained washed out, faded, from the foliage to his own skin. The little black squares floating around intrigued him, and he waved his hand around them, trying futilely to catch one. The whole place was very serene, but haunting.

Wow, that feel weird, do that again! Unir remained as optimistic as ever, eager to explore. Even when he spotted the being that was currently trying to hide from them. Hey, something there. Alan glanced up and peered into the twilight, spotting the little appendages belonging to the Soul in a Wrong Body. He took an uneasy step forward, hands held out unthreateningly. “Hello there? I won’t hurt you, I just want to know where I am.”

Sometimes, Lucas wasn’t even aware of when he went towards water. It was as if he was just drawn to it, because while at times he very much consciously decided to seek out water for his benefit, there were times when he didn’t seem to be able to control his body’s desire for it at all. When he spotted the spiraling green blob mass, well, he didn’t know what to think of it, exactly.

Coming? The small, slender form of the strange Glacier Firelizard did not quite fit his mannerism or his speech. The fact that he could speak at all was a little bit odd, but Lucas’ other firelizard could speak as well. The only difference was that Gabriel only spoke of the holidays, and his own name. And even Lucas got sick of hearing his own name so much from time to time.

The challenging tone of Sheer forced Lucas forward. Of course if you were going to bait his pride, he’d take the bait, no matter what the consequence might be. He couldn’t feel his self being chipped away, but he could see it, and as soon as he stepped near the portal, Lucas instantly regretted it. He could see Sheer too, slowly disappearing piece by piece, and for an instant the young man wondered if he was going to appear on whatever side whole or not. What if each of the pieces that were being picked off of him didn’t end up together on the other side? But his wondering came too late, and soon all he saw was black.

Water is not normally orange. Sheer’s voice rumbled once more in Lucas’ mind and the boy opened his eyes and looked around, puzzled by the scenario. “What?” He had never encountered a place like this in Whazzit, and while he was not surprised by the sudden change in terrain, he was surprised by the not so subtle change in color scheme. He blinked his eyes, waved a hand in front of his face, it felt as if he’d put on an orange-tinted pair of shades, or something. But clearly he was the only one baffled in his vicinity. Sheer seemed unfazed. Did shinies even see in color? Look! without waiting on his bonded, the Glacier instantly leapt at the opportunity for an adventure. He slithered within the air, finding himself above the water, peering below. What’s in there? Even Lucas was curious as he wandered closer to the edge, but not that close to the edge. He was still a good few feet from the weird ass, orange tinted but dark water. “I don’t know.” He stood tall to see over the side, hoping to catch a peek, hoping that whatever he was looking at was friendly.

Conscious, Where’s your Head At, 461 words

desert fortress
The four beings that had been warped to the desert were wise, because the shadow being was crouching in the darkness, ready to race forward on all four creepy legs and take down one of them. She wanted to use one of them as a hostage, to be sure that she wouldn’t be harmed. If she felt too uncomfortable, she’d kill the hostage and fight until the death with the others.

She clenched her long, black fists in frustration. The one in front had a weapon and one of the canines was about her size. They were clumped together; she wouldn’t be able to grab just one. She remained in the darkness, speaking from an unknown location.

I think the better question is who are you? The voice was warped. Bent and distorted from its original, strongly feminine tone. It was as if a dark alien had infected a powerful young woman’s vocal chords. After all, this is my people’s fortress and you are intruding.

Finally, she stepped out into the dim twilight. Her monstrous form was hunched and on guard, yet there was a certain smoothness to her movements. Make one move towards me and I’ll kill you all. You don’t know what I am capable of. Her voice did not falter; was she lying? Her appendage-covered head lifted towards the portal, all of them wiggling around.

Where have you come from? You warped here. How? This world has been damned. Portals are not seen anymore. She was clearly suspicious and untrusting.

forest haven
The little squares of shadow slipped right through Alan’s fingers, seeming to have no physical matter to them, yet bending to slide through the smallest cracks in his hand.

The man probably said the best thing he could have said. His words were a large relief to the shadow being hiding behind a tree. The monstrous thing peered his wiggling head out at them, taking a step sideways but not revealing his entire body yet.

Do you promise? The voice was startling; childlike and innocent yet distorted by something dark and deep. You weren’t sent here to harm me…? He sounded surprised, nearly convinced but trying to be cautious. You came from a portal… I haven’t seen one of those in a long time. Where are you from?

He suddenly seemed to remember that he hadn’t told the strangers where they were. The man seemed genuinely confused. This is the Korok’s Forest Haven. There used to be many of my tree-people living here. It was very nice, once… He trailed off, disappointed that it was no longer the place he explained it to be.

water domain
The Firelizard might be surprised when a monstrous head popped out of the water, staring right at him with its head-appendages wiggling around. Hello… Young and girlish, yet dark and distorted was the voice. It sounded very wrong.

How did you get here? You two swam? Then she spotted the portal far above Lucas’ head. Oh…that’s odd…

A bit more of her large body emerged as she allowed herself to bob in the water. There was something poised and elegant about her, despite her ugly form. She seemed friendly enough, yet also on guard.

I demand to know who you two are. This is my domain and I am princess, no matter what the land has come to. What business do you have in the waters of the Zoras? She was proud, speaking of a race of people that didn’t seem to occupy this area anymore. She was trying to maintain what she could of her traditions, yet this place was lonely and desolate.

lost woods
This shadow being was the least hospitable of the four. He let out a loud, screeching shriek that pierced ears and pulled down on one’s soul. It was vicious and dark. The creature continued circling them, closing in tighter until he was close enough to swipe at them with his long arms, hoping to knock one of them sideways. He was strong and he had the power of darkness on his side. The way he moved was very suiting to his form, unlike the others.

Oh, how have you gotten lost in the woods? Nobody comes here to play with me anymore. And if anyone comes to hurt me, I hurt them first. He grinned with large, black teeth and let out another, shorter scream. You came from a portal; how did you manage that? You should be contained and alone, left to rot. Why do you get to use magic? He swiped a couple more times, movements quick and aggressive. He seemed completely resentful of the pair without even knowing anything about them.

[Yaaaay! Thanks for joining! I is so excited! 8D Joining is closed now.]

Geoffrey had shifted his posture, preparing for some kind of attack, and when the shadow creature swiped at him, the cyborg shoved back hard at the strange long arms, stumbling away a few feet but not falling. This was one blond-haired man who did not need iron boots to weigh him down. The metal skeleton in his legs and feet was enough to keep him grounded and balanced against most foes.

Are we lost? "I don't know," Geoffrey shot back through a clenched jaw. He did not had time to check his surroundings enough to figure out of he knew approximately where their current location was or not. He was busy being attacked by some sort of dark being, in case the Niatu wound tighter around him had missed it.

They cringed a little bit at the screaming, Geoffrey more than Fexhalten, who really mostly looked intrigued and promptly answered back over the talking about portals and magic with a raspy shriek of his own, attempting to mimic it. I can do that too! Uh, sort of, Fex. He seemed pleased at this discovery at least, unlike the shadow and the cyborg, who looked ready to maim something.

Like each other.

"Why is it always magic?!" Geoffrey shouted in frustration as he transformed his hand from fingers to medical tools (aka stabby things) and swiped back, determined to keep the creature from completely overpowering them as he braced himself in place. He would probably lose; he usually did, when it came to pure strength; but he could hold off and stall for a long time. "Why is there never any advanced technology in this worthless future! You want the portals YOU take them!"

In situations like these, Ria was glad to defer to someone smart and sensible. She nodded in agreement with T'Rae about not provoking the beast and put a hand on her Rahwenress' shoulder until the sturdy wolf closed her jaws and relaxed her lips. Ria had her eyes cast downwards noncombatively, heart beating a little more quickly as she tried not to catch the attention of the unsettling warped being in the shadows. Her arms hung limply at her sides and she wiggled the fingers of one hand reassuringly at Cethern to keep her attention from flicking up to the shadow creature.

Yorlii didn't divert her gaze. Her steady emerald eyes drifted to T'Rae's face, passed over to the woman's phaser, and then settled on the beast of the fortress as she finally revealed herself. No malice crossed her eyes when she halted per the creature's threat, but she was quietly sizing the tendriled shadow up. A creature of darkness...what arcane magic did she control? If this was her people's fortress, were there others lurking behind the stone walls? Yorlii had her doubts that this confrontation could be solved with diplomacy, but she gave Ria a gentle mental nudge to answer the shadow. Her Phorrah was small and unassuming and earnest, and Yorlii would quietly gauge the beast's response to her words.

"We came from Planet. This...happens there, sometimes." Ria raised her head and tried to use the old stage trick of staring above and between someone's eyes to avoid having her nerves show through, but that ruse didn't quite work against such an otherworldly creature. She swallowed and kept herself as steady as possible. "I've never seen this place before, I didn't know what that portal would do. I don't know how to open a portal..." It occurred to Ria that perhaps T'Rae had been responsible for opening the portal, but that was a rather unfair accusation, wasn't it? "But you know what the portal is? Will it send us back? That's all I want." It was true; Ria didn't want to fight any eldritch shadow nightmare beasts tonight nope.

T'Rae was, quite frankly, surprised that Ria seemed to actually listen to her. She was by this point far more used to the idea of no one actually listening to her when she attempted to take control of the situation, it was a very nice surprise. She hadn't ever really gotten the impression that Ria was the most capable person ever met, no offense meant to the woman of course. T'Rae was just used to hanging around military people, and she was pretty sure Ria wasn't one of those.

Her surprise didn't last long before it was snapping back to the shadow being. It wasn't hard to guess that it, or her but T'Rae wasn't going to make assumptions about aliens like that, was feeling threatened. After a moment of hesitation T'Rae slowly lowered the phaser, though it was still in her hand and not put away by any means, at least she wasn't pointing it directly at the thing anymore. But being randomly teleported to completely different locations and what seemed to be some sort of strange magical realm, and for that matter being threatened by strange Shadow Beings that had not originally intended to show themselves, and were also armed for that matter, she wasn't going to be caught without her phaser. To many unknowns about the situation to put it away.

The questions themselves T'Rae was careful to consider, letting Ria speak up first before offering her own answers. "I am Lieutenant T'Rae, I do not know how I got here." She had been so busy looking down and outwards to figure out what Cethern was afraid of that she'd never got the chance to lookup, she'd never seen the portal that sucked her hear. She knew it felt a whole hell of a lot like being beamed up but it very clearly wasn't that. "I promise you that we mean no harm, and any intrusion is purely accidental. I would simply like to get back." Though based on what the being was telling her, she wasn't going to be able to get back the same way that she had gotten here.

Alan shifted to get a better look at the shadow being as it peered out from behind the tree. It was unlike anything the detective had ever seen, though its body remained mostly hidden. It appeared to be wearing some sort of stone mask, obscuring its facial features, if it even had any.

The detective’s eyebrows shot up when it spoke. He was relieved that it spoke, yes, but the voice that came from it was so different than anything he was expecting, it took him by surprise. To him it sounded… small. Young, despite the darkness tainting its tone. Beside him, Unir’s ears were perked up, fascinated by this new being. The two of them stood and listened, a small frown crossing Alan’s face as the shadow being trailed off quietly.

“I promise, we are not here to harm you. My name is Alan, this is my friend, Unir.” He gestured to himself, and then down to his Shadowguard. “We came from a jungle, on the other side of the... portal. That's where I live.“ He glanced back to where his book and groceries were laying in the oddly-shaded grass. “I was on my way home from the market.”

The detective’s eyes wandered around the clearing. Forest Haven, Koroks, tree-people. Certainly, the being in front of him wasn’t what he’d imagine when he pictured “tree-people”. Nor did the unnatural twilight engulfing the clearing feel like it belonged entirely. Alan suddenly felt a great sadness wash over him. Very nice, once. The detective gazed thoughtfully at the Soul in a Wrong Body, nothing but kindness and a willingness to listen in his eyes. “What happened to your people?"

[All I hear in my head right now is the Zora domain song from the N64 games. @_@]

Sss! Sheer hissed out in alarm as the strange figure rose out of the water. For that matter, Lucas jumped back too. Her voice sounded strange, and Lucas took a step back for every step she took forward. He couldn’t tell if she was dangerous or not, but didn’t feel quite so afraid because he was in a place full of water and the little metal lizard that had tagged along with him was, well, made out of metal.

“Princess of who?” Lucas squinted his eyes, staring at the figure with vague interest. The Zora. Sheer snapped at Lucas, not to keen on his bonded’s rude behavior. At least he could take a somewhat diplomatic approach though he was usually up for physical altercations. We stumbled here by accident. We can leave at once. while Sheer turned to seek the portal Lucas had other plans. He approached the edge of the water cautiously and skeptically. “If you’re some princess where the hell are your people at?” he peered into the waters, were they under water as that shadow figure had been? Because he didn’t see anyone.

While fear of the unknown had initially gripped him, he quickly and easily banished any thoughts of it from his mind. He was right beside water and water was his element, his element damnit. If he was supposed to be afraid of this strange dimmed world it wasn’t working because it had just thrown him into his own weapon. If Lucas was a time bomb he’d be ticking any second if this “princess” pushed his buttons the wrong way. But with Sheer’s relative calm he didn’t stand completely on guard, either.

desert fortress
The responses of the four strange visitors seemed to settle down the Shadow Being. She stood up a bit straighter, proud and perceptive but not as vicious as she once had looked. Still, there was a sense that she was potentially unpredictable and dangerous. She moved quickly and knowingly, with a sureness in her voice that suggested maturity and experience with conflict.

She climbed up the side of one of the buildings (though they were all attached). Planting herself on top of the tall brick platform gave her an opportunity to sit down and speak to the foursome without keeping herself at the ready. Her strange legs and feet folded up beneath her and her torso was held straight, large hands resting on the ground in front of her. She’d be able to spring up at any moment, if she needed to. But these strangers didn’t seem very aggressive.

Strange. Her odd voice was skeptical. That a portal would randomly open. I have never heard of Planet. This is Hyrule. She ignored any inquiry as to how to control the portal or get back home. She seemed more interested in talking, picking at them for answers. Tell me of this Planet. Are there thieves there? Are there valuable items there? Are females treated the exact same as males, serving the same duties and roles? Her tone was demanding. She seemed eager to know these things.

forest haven
Hello, Alan and Unir. My name is Makar. He walked, on all fours, closer to the pair. Stopping a few feet away from them, he sat down like a dog with his long arms balancing him. He didn’t seem to realize that his form might be a bit intimidating or frightening; he moved calmly and without hesitance. A jungle? We don’t have jungles around here. There are many forests though. We have a very large market, too. But I’ve never been there. I’ve never left here, actually. This is my home; I’ve lived here all my life. He seemed to be completely comfortable chatting with the pair and the eagerness with which he spoke suggested he might not have talked with anyone for a long time.

His shoulders slunk down a little when Alan inquired about his people. His head-appendages slowed their wiggling as well. He seemed to have clear, earnest expressions without having any visible facial features.

My people; the Koroks. We were tiny tree-folk—no taller than your knee. And we lived here, in safety and happiness. It was always fun and everyone was nice. Our home was one of the last areas hit by the Twilight. An evil man unleashed it over this land, turning all of us into…this. He controls us; he’s taken away everyone else to use in battle. I’m the only one left. His last sentence managed to sound a bit hopeful, as if he was happy to at least have made it this far.

Can you tell me about where you come from? Is it much different? Who rules your land? Do you live with nice people?

water domain
Yes, princess of the Zoras. You might think to be a bit more respectful in front of a lady. She nearly scolded Lucas, though her glare couldn’t be seen through her mask. She continued bobbing in place, long arms moving around smoothly just under the water. My people are gone; taken to do an evil ruler’s bidding. They all agreed to go with him if he left me unharmed. I refused, I fought, because my job is to watch over my people. But I was overpowered and now I am here, alone, hoping they might come back one day. Our city is below me, and I doubt it will ever be saved. But I will not abandon it. There was a striking resolve and loyalty in her warped voice, despite the sass she seemed to possess.

She swam around in a casual circle, graceful in her movements. She had calmed down and didn’t feel on edge anymore. These two clearly had no idea what was going on here, but she enjoyed the idea of someone to speak with. Stopping, this time a little closer to Lucas, she decided it was her turn to ask questions. She looked between the both of them, not caring who answered her.

What land do you hail from? Are there lakes and rivers there? Is it peaceful or are there individuals trying to overtake it? What do you do there?

lost woods
This Shadow Being seemed to be the only one that wasn’t interesting in calming down for conversation. He cackled darkly as the man retaliated against his arm, getting more excited than if these strangers had cowered. He didn’t seem impressed by the other creature’s scream and returned a more powerful one of his own in response. It echoed through the trees and seemed to carry with it a dark sort of amusement and exhilaration.

Staring at the man’s hand in fascination, his distracted state gave the cyborg the perfect opportunity to swipe at him. He felt pain for the first time in a long time, instinctively pulling his arm away as black blood splattered out and leaked down. He shrieked with excitement, probing his wound with the other arm’s hand and throwing his blood at them.

Advanced technology? No, no. The tools are quite simple here. And those that are too good for things like bows and arrows and swords learn something much better—magic! His voice was a bit…crazed. But I like your arm. Can I have it? He sounded almost serious as he bounded around in a large circle. He was no longer swiping. He didn’t seem afraid at all (in fact, he was happy), but now he was curious about these strangers.

Do you have more things like that, he motioned with a wiggling, appendage-ridden head towards the man’s medical tools, where you come from? Do you have forests? He stopped his movements, body arched and bent in odd directions. He looked very animalistic and distorted, especially with this dark form. Are people unloyal where you come from? They abandon their friends, don’t they? Have you ever been abandoned, hm? Left alone when you thought you were important to someone? There was a fiery hate in his voice, emotion fueled by something that could only be personal experience. He was serious; he wanted to know. His teeth pressed together, ugly lips curling up in a mentally-pained growl.

[My last post will be on Sunday. However, I suggest you try your best to post by Saturday night because I don't know what time on Sunday I will be posting. It might be earlier during the day!]

Now, Geoffrey moved. He wasn't particularly afraid, at least not yet if he ever was going to be, although he was increasingly irritated by all the screaming going on. But he had worked with bodily fluids enough to know to get the heck out of the way of foreign blood before mentioned in contact with porous skin or exposed mucous membranes or anything like that. And people thought he was crazy for wearing a covering lab coat and long pants in the dense jungles of a tropical climate. This was exactly what they were for in the lab, and they did their job out here just as well.

The cyborg/serpen pair that society again as the shadow being bounded around them, passing a little too close for comfort considering he just attacked him and then started throwing blood around. "Tools to match the population, then," Geoffrey muttered heatedly. Fexhalten on the other hand was feeling positively invigorated by the crazy creature. He bobbed his head up and down excitedly and all the niggling questions from the shadow being, smacking against Geoffrey's head a couple times with his skull, not that it stopped the overeager Niatu.

He makes them! He can make more! Fexhalten was already talking over Geoffrey's outraged swearing at the mere suggestion somebody take his arm. It was his preciousss. No touchy touchy. Lots of things. I come from the sea. He comes from space, he has forests there like this one, but we have jungle forests where we live now. He probably would've kept babbling on and on, excited to share all that he had already learned despite his short time with Geoffrey, had Geoffrey not tapped his fist underneath the Niatu's jaw to clap his mouth shut so he could get a word in.

"There's always unloyal sods," he grumbled at the shadow being, fixing him (her? thing? giraffe? forty-two?) with a cold stare, as much as he could fix a moving target. It seemed like a very odd shifts and subject matter. From attacking, to forests, to abandonment issues. Actually, nevermind, that seemed to suit the spastic being pretty well.

"And it's none of your business how many of them I know," he shot back a little more nastily than he needed to. "Projecting, much? Does nobody love you because you're an obnoxious ugly bastard?" He snorted lightly in disgusted amusement. "Join the team." Like he was going to be suckered in to pitying the thing. Whers, Fisi, Serpens, Asids, scarred up Ailoa and Gryphettes – Geoffrey was far too acquainted with the unstable and traumatized to feel sorry for shriekypants. Understanding did not beget empathy from this particular man.

T'Rae never took he eyes off the shadow being, or her finger off the trigger for that matter, but it was still reassuring to see that she did seem to be a little less on the edge of attacking them and a little more interested in talking. T'Rae much preferred asking questions to having to take shots, even if the creature was still armed. The Vulcan couldn't begrudge her than when she herself refused o put down her phaser, though she did ease Cethern enough to sit down and stop growling. "Easy boy, easy." She murmured while the creature was getting herself situated on the rooftop.

The creatures question was given consideration, and more importantly the woman was taking notes about everything she could see to attach to the Hyrule that the shadow being had mentioned. Fascinating, though she would admit she much preferred arriving at other planets by space ship, she was never going to protest the opportunity to add another world to her records. So long as she got back to Planet in the end anyway.

As for the questions themselves, they got a curious look out of T'Rae. She was aware, of course, that there were a great number of societies with gender differences, with men considered above women and vice versa, she still found herself preferring the Matriarchal Vulcan society of course. As for Planet itself? Well it didn't really seem organized enough for anyone to be particularly repressed in any way. There weren't even exactly laws that T'Rae had ever found. "There are valuables and thieves to take them, yes. Though finding either can sometimes prove difficult." Which was the point with a thief, with valuables not so much, "And there are no particular restrictions placed on one gender over the other that I have been aware of." Geoffrey's general superiority complex notwithstanding, of course, she didn't really think that personal biases were the kind of thing that the shadow was asking about. "In fact, in most of the social structures I am aware of, it is often a female that is given the most respect." She elaborated. Better to answer thoroughly than not give a sufficient answer to an armed creature that seemed not to have any qualms about attacking if they gave her any reason too.

Ria ran a palm across Yorlii's foggy coat and felt her own heartbeat settle, reassured by the shadow being's shift in demeanor and the lowering of T'Rae's weapon. There. That was the cue that she didn't need to be mentally gearing herself up to run, a prospect that would have frightened her in this desert of shifting sands. Ria had been a traveler before, to planets that weren't always safe and touristy. When the Captain (a lieutenant was close enough, right?) put his cross hairs on some shifty person and called for silence, Ria shut her mouth and paid attention. She could go back to being loud and defiant when the weapons were holstered.

As the shadow spoke, Ria shifted around to her Rahwenress' other side so that she was no longer hiding behind T'Rae and Cethern. Well. It probably wasn't a very good hiding spot with the shadow perched at such a height above her, but it wasn't very polite to cower behind others when spoken to. T'Rae's answer was very straightforward, but there wasn't much in there to describe the complexity that was Planet. Hmmm... "Planet's...ahhh," Ria struggled for a moment. "There's a lot going on on Planet." Like the fact that portals opening up all over the place wasn't so out of the ordinary. "Lots of unexplained mysteries."

"There're plenty of valuables, and I'm sure there are thieves, but there's also a lot of eyes watching over them," she continued. There was always someone awake on Ria's property, and even if one of the friendly, chatty shinies found a burglar first a stronger, toothier one wouldn't be far behind. "Planet's a very diverse place. Gender and race--species, even--aren't an issue. I've been to a few places where women weren't treated well but Planet treats everyone equally." Yorlii had been nodding her head to T'Rae's mention of females receiving their due respect and she awaited her chance to speak. Indeed, with my species packs are run by a dominant female. With others it varies. Most species of shinies were respectful towards and protective of their breeding queens, but Ikal'daka were especially notable for their matriarchal society.

A lady? Lucas looked at the strange shadowy figure, perhaps she was really a princess. Perhaps Zora were just a strange group of people that did not know about, perhaps they all looked like her. He was unaware of all of the different sorts of beings out there in the world, hell, he’d met plenty and many upon his arrival at Whazzit. He was however, still suspicious. It seemed that the tensions remaining were one-sided, and with the barrage of questions, Lucas turned to look at Sheer with a raised brow. What was this, an interview now or something? He crossed his arms over his chest, no longer spooked by the strange appearance of the world. This was Whazzit. This was normal goddamnit. He wasn’t going to let some princess of some Zoras scare the hell outta him.

“I’m from…well I mean now I live on Whazzit. And lakes and rivers? I wouldn’t live in a place without ‘em.” The second two questions required more though, but a smirk did slink over his face. Lakes and rivers, yeah, he couldn’t imagine anyone, really, wanting to live without them. Sheer backtracked from hovering over the water to wrapping his heavy body around Lucas’ shoulder, and while the young man was tempted to brush him off (metal was heavy, and kind of sharp too!) he instead focused his attention on answering this “lady”s questions. “There might be someone trying to take over something somewhere, I wouldn’t doubt it, but no one’s takin’ nothin’ from me.” Another pause, another moment of thought. “And I, do whatever the hell I want I guess. Or whatever the hell life wants me to do.” More often than not, the latter unfortunately. Your answerssss are not comforting. The Glacier muttered in Lucas’ ear, which the boy brushed off.

Comforting, did he have to be comforting now? He felt tempted to do some water manipulation, really he liked to show off whenever possible, but metal claws dug a little bit too harshly into his shoulders. No broken skin but fine. Lucas would play nice.

“I guess that means, you need help finding your, your Zoras, or something?” Yeah sure, Lucas would get involved with something that he didn’t care for much. This was a perfect example in which life was throwing something at him, something that he figured why the hell not.

He did forget to mention that by life, he meant shinies. Sometimes shineis threw something at him, and more often than not he was forced to accept.

unaware, where’s your head at, 421 words

Alan was frightened a bit by Makar’s appearance, but pushed the feeling down as best as he could. The detective was really more fascinated by the Korok-turned-shadow being’s form than anything. When Makar sat, he moved to sit as well, folding his legs up comfortably underneath him in the soft grass. Unir glanced over at his bonded and flopped down as well, resting his muzzle on his paws.

The two sat and lended their ears as Makar spoke of his home. Alan bowed his head down slightly in a gesture of apology when he saw that Makar was visibly saddened by the detective’s inquiry of the Koroks. But he was pleased when the shadow being continued on anyways. The detective had a good enough imagination; the image he was forming in his head of what the Koroks once looked like wasn’t completely accurate, but it was close enough. Peaceful, cheery little forest folk, living in harmony with their surroundings. And then Makar spoke of the “Twilight”, and the evil man that had turned them into what they were now.

He shuddered at the mere thought. To take a people so innocent, so nonviolent, and turn them into instruments of battle was to him, unthinkable. And even through that, Alan still caught the hopeful tone in Makar’s voice.

The detective sat up straighter when the questions were turned back towards him. “It’s not so different where I come from. The jungle is peaceful, and beautiful. Sometimes there are threats, yes, but whenever they rise, the people of the land work together to stop them. No one rules the land, as far as I know; the people rule themselves.”

Unir lifted his head up and grinned as much as his canine face would allow. Many creatures in Weyr find humanoids to bond, whether at birth or later. The Silver nudged Alan playfully in the side. This one mine, has others too. Big family.

desert fortress
The Shadow Being listened to all three individuals who spoke to her. Because there was a mask that covered her face, her reaction to the information could not be gauged. She sat on her platform for some time, soaking in their words and silently brooding. Finally, she got to her feet and leapt off of the bricks, landing with a heavy thud in the sand. On all fours, she made her way towards the four strangers.

I won’t hurt you if you don’t hurt me. She spoke to them seriously, making it clear that her current approach was not for violence. She stood beneath the portal among the others, instructing them as her body chipped away into shadow. Follow me.

When the four stood back beneath the portal, they would be returned to Planet. The Feminine Desert Fighter Amethyst Celeste Cat was there, waiting for them. Her sharp gaze landed on Ria. You. Show around. She wanted to get to know this place via her new bond. She wanted to meet other female leaders.

forest haven
Makar was very grateful that these two individuals were taking the time to listen to him and talk to him. It made him comfortable when they sat down and relaxed. If he could have smiled, he would have.

The Shadow Being listened intently as Alan and Unir spoke. Everything about the jungle sounded wonderful, but it was odd that people ruled themselves. Even in the Forest Haven, there was an elder Korok that everyone turned to for guidance. Still, the idea of free reign was just as exciting as it was strange, and maybe a little intimidating. When Unir spoke, Makar was stuck on one phrase in particular.

Big family… He whispered it in awe, slowly getting to his feet and walking over to his guests. He positioned himself underneath the portal, then motioned for them to come towards him. Gather around, he encouraged.

Whenever Alan and Unir ended up under the portal again, they would be warped back to Planet in the tiny little shadow pieces they had come in. The Brave and Innocent Treedweller Diamond Celeste Cat would be standing at their sides, looking up hopefully at them. He wanted to be a part of a big family again, if they would take him.

water domain
The princess seemed to enjoy Lucas’ confidence and determination, even if she wished for him to be a bit more respectful. She paid attention to his words, going silent for a few moments. She looked to be thinking hard about something, despite her face being hidden. Then, she swam a bit closer to the pair and shook her large, black head.

No. They cannot be found, nor are many still alive. Despite her warped voice, she was clearly sad. My mother came to me in a vision last night and told me to move forward and make my people proud. I didn’t know what I could possibly do, until this portal opened up. She now moved confidently, like she had made a decision and was now putting it into action. She climbed out of the water and onto the rocky ledge, revealing her entire monstrous body. Hoping that the man and his companion were not frightened by her, she motioned a long arm towards the space beneath the portal.

Come. She beckoned them like a true princess, reassuring and elegant. When Lucas and Sheer stood or passed beneath the portal, they would find themselves being warped in the same way as how they got here. Except, once back on Planet, the Her Liquid Majesty Dove Hippogryph would be standing next to them. With one feminine and pretty look, she would bond to Lucas.

lost woods
The Shadow Being continued circling, listening to Fexhalten with attentiveness and intrigue. Serpens were generally a species he’d get along with. Geoffrey, on the other hand, only triggered rage in the dark creature. The cyborg at least managed to stop the being’s talking. He had nothing to say to his visitors, considering he was completely projecting and nobody loved him anymore. Instead, he thrashed his body in a fit of pent of frustration and charged the man and his shiny. His large form spread its arms and legs as he leapt onto them, looking like some sort of humanoid-spider. Whether Geoffrey injured him or tried to dodge, the Shadow Being would be sure to tackle or drag them beneath the portal. There, amongst the violent chaos, all three forms would break up into tiny shadows and reform back on Planet.

The Revenge of the Abandoned Macaw Hippogryph would act just as ruthlessly outside of his monstrous form. Feathers and fur would fly until he got his share of aggression out. Then, Geoffrey would never be able to shed him. The mentally-tortured being bound himself to the man, and he would never let up.

[Thank you all for your wonderful, prompt posts! I hope you like your bonds and their backstories. I wish I had had a shiny for everyone; I'm sorry. :\]

That is sad. A pang of sympathy fluttered from Sheer’s mind towards Lucas’, and while the young man didn’t quite feel the same level of sympathy as his bonded did, he did feel kind of bad for the, err, Zora was it? All of her people, or most of them, dead? And from the sounds of it, didn’t sound like her mother was alive, either. He tried to muster up some words to speak to the “Princess”, not quite sure of himself, but before he even needed to say anything else, the Shadow figure decided that it was time to get out of this strange faded universe. He wasn’t sure if he was very keen on following this stranger, maybe the warp portal would bring him somewhere else, maybe she’d transform into some huge destructive Wher, or something, maybe she’d turn into something cute. A hot babe?

With positive thoughts in mind, Lucas looked over to Sheer. Without any questions or acknowledgements, Lucas stepped forward towards the portal. The sensation was the same, his body splintered away piece by piece. Before he remembered what it was like again, everything went black once more. He opened his eyes again, clad to be whole, glad to be back on the other side again, with Sheer and a brand new shiny by his side. The feeling of a bond would forever be a familiar one, though each new bond was a little bit different each time. This time was graceful, somewhat serene despite the fact that the strange Shadow creature that Hippie had once been was strange and distorted.

“I hafta name you don’t I.” He thought for a second, feeling the Dove attempt to, send him, some message. “Ruto?” The letters and the sounds were severely blurred, from what he could feel, but that was the best that he could spit out. From the Dove’s happy reaction, open feathers and a click of a beak, he could tell that he guessed right. It seems you’ve guessed correctly. Sheer acknowledged, and Lucas nodded his head. “Looks like it.” He wrapped an arm around the Dove, who didn’t seem too keen on being treated like this, but for now she would have to think of herself as Lucas’ guest. Soon enough however, she’d surely be treated with respect.

[Kimmy I love her! And this speedbonding was quite lovely. :3]

Triggering rage was fine with Geoffrey, considering the alien shadow being was only confusing Geoffrey, and anybody who knew Geoffrey knew that Geoffrey reacted to confusion very unkindly.

Upon its charge, Geoffrey shifted his stance, bracing himself and allowing only a faint flicker in his gaze to register the sudden and unexpected transmogrification of the creatures form. What the devil. This wasn't sorcery he was familiar with yet, but never fear; the shadow being would give him ample opportunity to be very intimately familiar with such strangeness before the three thrashing and clawing and generally chatoic beasties wound up back underneath the same portal that had regurgitated them here.

Not that being disassembled and re-materialized on the other side did anything to stop any of the three of them. Geoffrey was fighting in self-defense, Fexhalten was fighting in an eager quest to figure out how much of a fight these things could put up attempt to learn how to become a Hippogryph himself, and the shadowgryph was fighting in the throes of bridled fury finally being unbridled.

When it all came to an end, Yorick needed no words in Geoffrey didn't need his own to say anything back. The looks each wore – clearly feeding each other and feeding off each other in a literally vicious cycle – made clear that Geoffrey would not have the Macaw in submission for long before the wild thing broke loose again and they were trapped in a never-ending struggle to take each other out. You were bound right back, shadow.

ooc| Ffffff I like them way more than I should, Yorick is amazing, and come on ihaveshakespearehippiesicouldn'tnotnameskullkidhippieYorick |D Thank you for him and his insanity <3

Ria considered ducking back behind T'Rae when the shadow beast leaped down from the fortress, but decided she had no reason to. While unsettling, the dark creature wasn't aggressive; there was no reason for Ria not to trust that she would hold up her end of the bargain. Ria followed the shadow before Yorlii could even give a nod of approval, and she was vanishing in lines and rows back through the portal when the Kal'daka trotted up after a final glance to make sure that T'Rae and Cethern would be following her through. Or maybe the scientist wanted to explore this world instead?

A Demonhound was lounging with her front paws crossed a short ways off when Ria and Yorlii were put back together on Planet's side of the portal. "Oh...hi, Fury," Ria greeted curiously. She hadn't told anyone else that she was investigating the portal. How did she know to find them here? Fury's attention was focused on the Celeste Cat and not her bonded, however, as she rose to her feet and folded her wings tightly.

Nabooru, known associate of thief king Ganondorf, she began to recite. Bad Horse is invite you to Evil League of Evil. He awai-- Tell him no. Fury shifted the fringe out of her eyes, surprised. Bad Horse didn't like to have his summons ignored when he managed to find notorious villains who had stumbled onto Planet, but Fury wasn't eager to press-gang the Celeste Cat into Bad Horse's secret headquarters. She wasn't keen to make an enemy out of a fellow strong female, so she'd trot back to HQ and leave the next move up to the Thoroughbred of Sin.

"Nabooru?" Ria asked. Was name. Is name, I guess, she corrected, one ear flicking forwards from when she'd pinned both at the mention of Ganondorf. Well. Her secret was out--how much did this Bad Horse know? She'd have to do a little sneaking once she familiarized herself with her new fortress... Please lead on, she urged, trotting at a brisk pace with her tails curled as Ria walked forwards. Ria had to move at a steady clip to keep ahead of the focused 'Cat while Yorlii fielded a few important questions about the size of her territory and known threats and allies within.

Ria's original plan had been to introduce Nabooru to Lettiae, queen of the roost and the biggest thorn in Bad Horse's side, first so that the Gryphon could keep the Evil League of Evil at bay while the Amethyst settled in, but there were three Ikal'daka curled up on Ria's porch waiting to intercept the group--well, one member of the group in particular. Nabooru was already gaining notoriety. The Zanjur raised her lovely head and ambled down the steps, speaking a few words of an unknown language that the Celeste Cat responded to favorably.

Olplyn grinned, eyes bright. I hear you refused Bad Horse. I'll bet he's not too happy about that! Boys, go pay him a visit, would you? Make sure he won't be doing anything too hasty. The other two Ikal'daka on the porch trotted off silently to track the Gold Demonhound, and Olplyn watched them fondly before twisting her head back to the Celeste Cat, still grinning. Please, let me show you around. I'm sure Ria's just exhausted, aren't you dear? Make sure she gets to bed safely now, Yorlii. Ria wasn't the least bit surprised to see that Olplyn, Thief, was interested in meeting Nabooru, and since her new bond wasn't opposed to the idea either and Ria was eager to get back to bed, she took the Zanjur up on her subtle offer and crawled into bed.

Hopefully she wouldn't wake up to a turf war. Or a mountain of questionably obtained goods that would make her an accessory to something. Were there even police on Planet?

((Eeeee, I was hoping she was Nabooru! When I was little I wanted to grow up to be a Gerudo. Still do, actually~ xD))

Alan and Unir were more than happy to listen. It felt good to speak about Planet as well. The detective was getting used to how natural it felt to speak of the jungle as home, and not just the place where fate had taken him.

The detective smiled encouragingly when Makar repeated Unir’s words. He watched intently as the shadow being moved to stand beneath the portal, and the detective and his Shadowguard followed when he motioned for them. They were eager to get back; back to the safety and warmth of a house they’d grown to be so familiar with.

Alan scooped up his book and groceries on the way, and took a deep breath to brace himself before stepping next to Makar beneath the portal, the rather unpleasant feeling of being taken apart spreading rapidly through his body and limbs.

Being put back together again was a bit more pleasant, and the detective was quick to make sure that everything had gotten put back in the right order. He was a bit confused for a moment after he’d taken stock of his extremities. He glanced around at eye level, looking for Makar, before getting the idea in his head that maybe he’d been turned back into a Korok, and the detective looked down.

Well, he was the size of a Korok. The Korok-turned-shadow being-turned-Celeste Cat sat peacefully in the grass by Alan’s feet, looking up at him. We go home? he asked hopefully. Alan smiled and looked around again, deciding which way home actually was. “Of course Makar, it is your home now too.”

*ooc* Thank you so much Estrella, Makar is adorable, and he'll fit right in with Alan's house of lovable friends <3<3<3*